from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
DRC Bureau
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – FORMER Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila has been sentenced to death in absentia by a military court on charges of treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, marking a dramatic fall from grace for the man who once dominated the country’s political landscape.
The 54-year-old, who ruled the DRC for nearly two decades after the 2001 assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, was convicted on Friday of murder, torture, sexual assault, and insurrection.
Prosecutors accused him of backing the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group, whose renewed insurgency has plunged eastern Congo into some of its worst violence in years.
Kabila, who did not appear in court, has dismissed the proceedings as “arbitrary” and politically motivated. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Fallout with Tshisekedi
Kabila relinquished power in 2019 to current president Félix Tshisekedi, in the first peaceful transfer of power in Congo’s history.
Initially, the two leaders governed under a coalition arrangement, but relations soured. By 2023, Kabila had gone into self-imposed exile after losing his parliamentary immunity.
The rift deepened earlier this year when Kabila announced plans to mediate in the east.
In May, he surfaced in Goma, then under the control of M23 rebels — a move that Tshisekedi’s government described as open collusion with insurgents.
Lawmakers swiftly stripped Kabila of immunity, clearing the path for his trial.
Violence in the East
The DRC’s eastern provinces, rich in gold, coltan, and other minerals, have been wracked by violence for nearly three decades.
The M23, a Tutsi-led group that first emerged in 2012, resumed large-scale offensives in 2022, capturing swathes of territory including Goma, Bukavu, and key airports earlier this year.
The conflict has displaced more than 1.5 million people in 2025 alone, according to the UN, with atrocities including mass killings, sexual violence, and child recruitment reported.
Kinshasa accuses neighbouring Rwanda of backing the rebels with troops and weapons — a claim supported by UN investigators and several Western governments.
Kigali denies the allegations, insisting it is acting defensively to prevent instability from spilling across its border.
International Response and Ceasefire Efforts
A ceasefire agreement brokered in July between the government and M23 was hailed as a breakthrough but has largely failed to halt the bloodshed.
The sentencing of Kabila is expected to further complicate peace efforts, as the rebels maintain control of significant areas and Kinshasa accuses its former leader of fuelling the violence.
Observers say the ruling is unprecedented in modern Congolese history.
“It’s rare for a former head of state to face capital punishment, particularly on charges as grave as war crimes,” noted one Kinshasa-based political analyst.
“It underscores both the fragility of Congo’s institutions and the extent of mistrust between Tshisekedi and his predecessor.”
A Polarising Legacy
Kabila’s presidency was marked by relative stability after years of regional war but was also dogged by allegations of corruption, authoritarianism, and human rights abuses.
His controversial decision to extend his rule beyond his constitutional mandate sparked nationwide protests in 2016–2018, in which scores were killed.
Now, with his conviction and death sentence, the man once seen as a stabiliser risks being remembered as a destabiliser.
For millions in eastern Congo, however, the priority remains not justice in Kinshasa’s courts but peace on the ground — a goal that remains elusive.
– CAJ News